The Master Chief wakes-up after a much-needed, well-deserved, artificially-induced coma; only to accidentally open the Sealed Evil in a Can. Now, he has to put down the Big Bad before it can destroy all humans. Oh, and he also runs into Commander Shepard along the way. Just another day at the office.
Pros:
Character development: Cortana's rampancy (kinda like a terminal case of Alzheimer's, with Schizophrenia and DPD thrown into the mix) is the heart and soul of both the wider story and her dynamic with the Chief. Sierra-117 is torn between his deeply personal commitment to Cortana, and his professional duty to protect Humanity - these two goals being no longer in sync because everyone else is convinced that Cortana is a threat. Ironic, since Cortana now plays a more pivotal role than in previous entries. This appeal to love and loss is conveyed by the indomitable voice-acting talents of Jen Taylor and Steve Downes.
Gameplay: The Promethean Knights are an excellent challenge as a new enemy class; limited in numbers, compared to the teeming hordes of Covies, they compensate by being VERY hard to kill and being VERY good at killing the player. Otherwise, some minor aesthetic details aside, its the same experience seen before since Combat Evolved.
Level/sound design: This is where 343i hits the ball out of the park. Halo 4 is THE most beautiful game on any platform, anywhere. Every captured sound bite is perfectly articulated and almost feels alive in its own right. No two levels in the main campaign are alike, but are lovingly-shaped to encapsulate their own identity.
Multiplayer: Two words: War Games. Gameplay enhancements are back, including armor abilities, support packages, and tactical drops; which help reduce camping and other frustrating player habits during matches.
Cons:
Multiplayer: Two words: Spartan Ops. Cinematics aside, it has no replay value at all. Firefight modes are not terribly entertaining.
Character development: Chief and Cortana aside, everyone else is blandly two-dimensional - except maybe for Jul'Mdama. Del Rio and Palmer are the worst offenders. The only way to get a deeper understanding of the supporting cast is to absorb supplemental material (the books, the wiki, etc) which erodes player immersion and the narrative itself.
Finished the Fight? Start a new one today!
Final score: 9/10